Katherine Elementary students walk together for day in Simi

Katherine Elementary School students walk to school Friday from Arroyo Stow Park Valley during the school's Walk and Bike to School Day. The quarter-mile walk was part of the school's observance of National Walk to School Day.

Ventura County Star

For a quarter-mile stretch of Simi Valley streets, about 200 crocodiles strolled and rolled their way to school Friday morning.

Well, it really was the Katherine Crocodiles, the mascot for the 465 students at Katherine Elementary School, who celebrated Walk and Bike to School Day.

"I'm very happy with the turnout," Principal Susanne Wolf said. "It's great to see everyone out."

The event was met with rain for the last two years, dampening the turnout. The weather was perfect this year for the kindergartners through sixth-graders who participated.

Pushing her younger son's stroller, Cheryl Klumph led daughter Kamryn along sidewalks between Arroyo Stow Park, where participants met before school, and the front entrance of the school.

At the entrance, area firefighters, police officers and local officials greeted the children and their families. As the children gathered on the playground, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited and teachers hustled their charges inside to learn.

Klumph drives her 6-year-old to school most mornings because it's easier, as the family lives about half a mile away. But Kamryn is met many afternoons at the school by her mom and brother and they walk home.

Kamryn, a first-grader, shyly said it was fun to walk to school.

"I asked her if she wanted to walk to school every day," Klumph said chuckling. "She said, 'No.'"

With a U.S. launch in Chicago in 1997 (a similar event had been held in the United Kingdom), the international event is used to bring awareness to the need for walkable neighborhoods. Originally focused solely on walking, the event incorporated biking this year.

According to the organization's website, more than 4,000 schools throughout the United States registered to participate last year.

While the event formerly was celebrated on one day, it's been expanded to cover October.

Fifth-grader Hailea Cochlin's dad brought her to the park Friday morning before leaving for work, and she accompanied the other children walking to school from the playground.

"I usually drive to school," she said.

When asked if she liked the idea of walking to school, she said, "A little bit."

Most kids walked, but a some rode to school on scooters.

Organizer Michelle Humphreys, whose two sons attend the school, said she had to recruit a crossing guard for the day from the city, which employs the guards. The neighborhood in east Simi Valley is not known for heavy foot traffic in the mornings.

"The city said there would be no problem with loaning us a guard for the day, and they were very willing to help," she said.